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Theses

1980

Fowl beasts, the chicken and the egg Fowl beasts, the chicken and the egg

Pamela Schuyler-Cowens

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FOWL BEASTS,

the chicken and the egg

By Pamela R. Schuyler-Cowens

Submitted in partial fulfillment of theRequirements for the degree

MASTER OF FINE ARTS

MFA Photography ProgramPhotographic Arts and Sciences

Rochester Institute of TechnologyRochester, New York

October, 1980

Chairman - Charles Arnold, Professor in the School of Photography at RochesterInstitute of Technology.

Dr. Richard Zakia, Coordinator of the M.F.A. Photography Program at R.I. T.

Ed Miller, Associate Professor of Painting in the College of Applied Arts at R.I. T., -- , _ ,

October, 1980

Chairman - Charles Arnold, Professor in the School of Photography at RochesterInstitute of Technology.

Dr. Richard Zakia, Coordinator of the M.F.A. Photography Program at R.I. T.

Ed Miller, Associate Professor of Painting in the College of Applied Arts at R.I. T.

David Dickinson, Assistant Professor of Printmaking in the College of Fine and AppliedArts at R.I. T.

I

Permission Page

I, Pamela R. Schuyler-Cowens, prefer to be contacted each time a request for

reproduction of my thesis "Fowl Beasts, the chicken and theegg"

is made. I can be

reached at the following address: 54 Irving Place, Buffalo, NY 14201.

October, 1980

Special Thanks To:

My Advisors, David Dickinson, Ed Miller, Charles Arnold, Dr. Richard Zakia, Judd

Williams.

Cathy Simonds, who silk-screened the text; and Phil Smith, Rich Stilson and Students for

setting the type.

Perdue Farms, Inc., Maryland

Child's Eggs, New York

Flan Recipe by James Beard "Boston EveningGlobe"

Thursday, August 17, 1972, p. 53.

Griesetorte, Grand Diplome Cooking Course, Volume 3, pp. 40-41, B.P.C.

Publishing, 1971.

Chicken Hunter Style, Great Gorge, N.J. Playboy Club Chef.

Frankly Speaking Word Processing Services, Buffalo, N.Y.

Table of Contents:

Thesis Proposal 1

Introduction to the Chicken 2

Recipes 3

Illustrations 10

Technique for Illustrations and Recipes 11

Diary of Project Work 17

Expenses 28

Conclusion 29

Bibliography 30

Purpose:

I want to create a portfolio that is an enjoyable work of art and a practical cookbook, by

photographing, abstracting and cooking the chicken and the egg. Through intaglio

processes, photography will be taken one step beyond the Ilford, Agfa, and Kodak print

experience.

Scope of Thesis:

I will use photo-etching, embossing, drawing and painting (sugar lift and line etching) to

interpret the beast. By using the above mentioned intaglio printmaking processes, I can

work with archival inks and papers with varying surface textures. I will photograph at

various farms to obtain images of the bird in different stages and situations. (Chicken

farms specialize in breeding, egg laying or meat raising.)

I will make a limited edition portfolio of this work which will hopefully be sold and

reproduced in book form with national distribution. I will include ten illustrations with

an introduction and recipes on an18"

x24"

format. I will use Fabriano CMF paper which

is 100% rag, is off white in color, and is22"

x30"

in dimension. The edition number of

folios will be 15. I will use 12 copper and zinc plates to create the illustrations. The

recipes will be silk screened on an oriental paper known as Kinwashi.

Procedures:

In the following pages of my thesis I will include an introduction to the gallus

domesticus; recipes for cooking the bird; a description of the various printmaking

techniques used to create the artwork and recipes; a diary of my work progression; a list

of incurred expenses; a conclusion; and a bibliography including texts and farms used for

the body of this work.

"Which came first, the chicken or theegg?"

is a question which the individual must

decide through one of two contradictory sources. According to Darwinian theory,

chickens are descendents of egg-laying reptiles, which in turn evolved from egg-laying

amphibians; clearly, natural selection implies the egg preceeded the chicken by hundreds

of millions of years. According to the Book of Genesis, "God created man, woman, and

all creatures on theEarth...;"

thus the Bible declares chickens appear on the land before

the eggs.

In spite of the chicken's dubious origin, however, the domestic chicken has been part of

man's history since 3000 B.C. feeding man by its meat and eggs; entertaining him

through cockfighting; joining him in religious and magical ceremonies; symbolizing

sexuality; and finally living with man as a pet.

Today the western world uses the gallus domesticus primarily for food. The chicken has

more protein per ounce than beef, pork, or lamb and is less expensive. Only the lungs and

sex organs of chickens are discarded. The intestines are sold to pet manufacturers and

fur ranchers for food for mink and foxes. Chicken feet are delicacies in Taiwan.

Chicken feathers are used for fishing flies. Manure is used for fertilizer and cattle

feed. The blood is dried and also used as feed. The well-packaged egg is usually a basic

ingredient for dessert and breakfast feasts. The egg yolk, currently under fire due to

cholesterol content, is still an excellent source for protein, multiple vitamins and

minerals.

The chicken, though taken for granted today, is a most remarkable beast. Artists

throughout history have sought after the bird for their endeavors. Aristophanes, the

Greek playwright, mentions the cock in his work Clouds; Aesop embellishes the bird in

his fables. Chaucer illuminates him in the The Canterbury Tales; Shakespeare uses him

in Hamlet; and Rimski Korsakov titles an opera after the gallus domesticus, Le Cog d'Or.

This portfolio of intaglio prints and recipes is created in honor of fowl beasts and is

dedicated to my husband who supported this project and enjoys the recipes within its

covers.

Flan

1 pint heavy cream

6 egg yolks

1/2 cup sugar

a pinch of salt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

a pinch of mace

Heat cream to boiling point. Beat 6 egg yolks, 1/2 cup sugar and a pinch of salt in a bowl

until smooth. Slowly add boiling cream to the egg mixture, stirring constantly with a

wooden spoon or wire whisk. Add 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract and a dash of mace.

Strain through a stainless steel mesh strainer into 6 individual porcelain dishes. Place

the dishes in a pan of warm water(85

F). Bake in a350

F oven for 20 to 30 minutes or

until flan feels firm to the touch. Remove from the oven. Cool individual dishes on

rack. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Garnish with fresh strawberries.

Serves 6

Soup Stock

Chicken bones from at least 8 chicken breasts

Also use skin and giblets when available

1 large onion

2 carrots

2 stalks of celery

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

3 quarts spring water

Place all ingredients into a large pot. Bring to a boil, skimming the top occasionally.

Turn heat to medium. Cover. Let soup stock simmer for 7 or 8 hours. Strain into a

bowl, chill in refrigerator overnight. Skim fat off the surface. Divide the soup stock

into containers and freeze until needed. This stock can be used as a consume, made into

onion soup, or used as an ingredient in sauces.

Chicken Hunter Style

4 chicken breasts, boned and cut into chunks

1 medium size onion - chopped

2 cloves of garlic - chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup wine vinegar

1/2 cup chicken stock or 1 bouillon cube to 1/2 cup water

3 flat anchovies, finely chopped

1 tablespoon of slivered black olives

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1 bay leaf

Wash chicken, remove bones, and cut into2"

chunks. Dry and season with salt and fresh

ground pepper. In a12"

frying pan heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil until haze forms.

Brown chicken parts in oil on high heat. Transfer the chicken into a dish. Brown onion

and garlic in the pan with chicken remains on a medium heat for about 8 minutes. Add

1/2 cup wine vinegar to garlic and onion in pan and reduce liquid to approximately 1/4

cup by boiling. Add 1/2 cup chicken stock. Boil several minutes. Return chicken to the

pan. Baste, cover pan. Cook at medium low heat. Simmer 30 minutes, bastingoccasionally. Remove chicken from the pan and place it on a platter. Continue heatingsauce. Remove bay leaf and add anchovies and olives. Cook for three minutes more.

Pour sauce over chicken.

Serves Four

One Egg Choc'late Cake

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 level teaspoons baking powder

1/4 cup cocoa

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup softened butter

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 cup yogurt

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour a nine inch baking pan. Sift first five

ingredients together in a bowl. In another bowl cream butter with one cup sugar. Add

one egg and yogurt. Combine with dry ingredients. Pour mixture into a round or square

greased pan. Bake 45 minutes to one hour. Cake is done when you stick cake with

toothpick and it comes out dry. Cool on cake rack for five minutes. Loosen sides with a

spatula. Invert pan onto a dish and remove pan. Continue to cool. Sprinkle with

confectioners sugar just before serving. Serve whipped cream on the side.

Serves Eight

Chicken Divan

2 10 ounce packages of frozen broccoli

4 chicken breasts

1 vegetable bouillon cube

2 cups of sour cream

2 teaspoons of lemon juice

1 teaspoon curry powder

1/2 cup grated parmesean cheese

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1 tablespoon of butter

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease 13 x 9 inch baking dish. In a pressure cooker, cook

chicken for fifteen minutes. Save liquid in cooker, cool chicken in a plate. Place frozen

broccoli in pressure cooker, cook three minutes. Save the liquid. Place cooked, drained

broccoli in a single layer in the 13 x 9 inch baking dish. Then remove chicken from the

bones and place in strips over broccoli. Heat liquid in the pressure cooker to boiling.

Add vegetable bouillon cube, one teaspoon curry powder, and two teaspoons lemon

juice. Continue to boil until liquid is reduced to 1/3 original amount. Add sour cream.

Pour mixture over chicken and broccoli. Sprinkle with cheese, then buttered bread

crumbs. Bake thirty minutes.

Serves Six

Spinach Souffle

4 eggs

1 shallot, chopped

1/4 pound spinach

3 tablespoons butter

1 cup cold milk

3 pinches salt

four tablespoons of grated Swiss cheese

Preheat oven to 450F. Grease one quart porcelain souffle dish. In a pot, saute shallot

in one tablespoon of butter until edges of shallots are browned. Add washed spinach

leaves. Cover and cook on a medium heat for five minutes. Remove cover and stir until

all liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat. Let stand. Separate yolks and whites of

four eggs. Put egg whites in a large bowl with a pinch of salt and put yolks in a small

bowl. Light burner (medium low). In a one quart pot, place two tablespoons of butter

and sizzle. Add one tablespoon of flour, stir one minute with a wooden spoon. Continue

stirring, while adding one cup of cold milk, then four egg yolks with two pinches of salt.

Remove sauce from heat. Beat egg whites until they hold stiff peaks. Pour whites into

pot with sauce and gently mix. Add the spinach, shallots and grated Swiss cheese,

stirring briefly. Pour mixture into the greased souffle dish. Bake 25 minutes. Serve

immediately.

Serves Four

Griestorte

1 cup sugar

1 lemon (juice and grated rind)

3/4 cup cream of wheat or semolina

1/2 cup finely ground blanched almonds

six eggs

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease bottom and sides of two one-quart porcelain souffle

dishes. Separate egg whites and yolks. Beat yolks and sugar for five minutes until light

yellow and thick. Add lemon juice from one lemon. Continue to beat until the yolks are

thick again. Stir in grated lemon rind, cream of wheat or semolina and almonds. Set

aside. Beat egg whites until they are stiff and hold a peak. Fold or gently mix whites

into yolk mixture with a metal spoon. Divide the mixture into the two souffle dishes.

Place in oven and bake 35 minutes, or until cakes spring back when pressed lightly with

finger tips. Do not open oven door before 30 minutes or cake will not rise. Remove the

cakes from oven. Cool on cake rack for five minutes. Loosen cakes from sides of pans

with a spatula. Invert dishes, remove cakes and let them cool on racks. Serve with

whipped cream and sliced peaches. Each cake serves six people. The cakes freeze well

for future use.

Illustrations

1) "CHICKEN SCRATCHINGS"- Sugar Lift Process.

2) "NUTRITION"- Two Plates, Photo Etching of blood cells; Soft Ground Impression of

birdseed.

3)"MONOLITH"

- Photo Etching with Rolled Ink application to the yolk.

4) "CHICKEN HIRISE"

- Photo Etching, Two Ink Wipes on one plate.

5) "CHICKEN HUNTERSTYLE"

- Photo Etching and Line Etching combination with

Three Ink Wipes on One Plate.

6) "ONE EGG CHOCOLATE CAKE"- Photo Etching.

7) "CHICKENDIVAN"

- Line Etching.

8)"FEATHERS"

- Multiple Application of Soft Ground Texture Transfers.

9) "75 MISLAIDEGGS"

- Embossing.

10) UNTITLED - Photo Etching.

10

The intaglio prints described above are derived in part or in full from photography. Some

prints use photographs as models for pure drawing, as in the line etching, the sugar lift

process and embossing; while others use the photograph as an integral part of the work,i.e. photo etching.

Photo Etching

1. A negative is enlarged onto Kodalith film creating a grainy, high contrast positive

image.

2. Clean a Zinc or Copper 16 gauge plate with double "F"Carborundum and water. This

will strip off grease and oxide.

3. Wash off plate with water using a paper towel.

4. Dry front, back and sides with compressed air.

(For the next six steps one must work under yellow safelights - either buglights or golden

rod safelights.)

5. Pour one part KPR (Kodak Photo Resist) type 3 diluted with one part KOR (Kodak

Ortho Resist) thinner onto the center of the plate and rock plate until it is completely

covered with resist. Pour excess into sink.

6. Stand plate on its edge, on a paper towel, turned to a wall. Let stand for ten minutes

or until the surface feels dry to the touch. (Bead of resist will form at the edge of the

plate, wipe off bead.)

7. Bake plate on a hot plate at 250F for 10 minutes only (too much heat will cause heat

fog), or air dry for 24 hours.

8. Use an arc lamp. Flip over contact printer, place emulsion side of Kodalith down on

dried plate. Lock contact printer, turn on master switch and vacuum pump to 15

pounds. Flip contact printer over to light source. Push lamp switch on and expose for

one minute thirty seconds. Turn off light switch, turn contact printer over, turn off

vacuum pump, turn off master switch, open contact printer and remove plate.

9. Develop plate in KOR (Kodak Ortho Resist) developer for two minutes. Agitate

occasionally.

10. Pour KOR dye (blue) over invisible image on plate. Rinse in cold water. Dry

immediately with compressed air. Blue dye will appear on areas that will remain white

or will not etch.

11. a. Place copper plates in Dutch Mordant (88 parts water, 2 parts Potassium

Chloride, 10 parts Hydrochloric Acid) for two or three minutes until uneven blue dye

spots disappear.

b. Place zinc in nitric acid diluted 1 part nitric to 20 parts water for one or two

minutes.

12. Rinse plates and dry.

11

13. Apply the expensive Sears spray paint flat black enamel until 50% of the metal plate

is covered. This spray acts as a resist of multiple dots creating an aquatint. With

multiple sprays and multiple immersions in acid one can create a light grey tone to a

velvet black tone on the plate.

a. For a rich black on a copper plate 3 separate aquatint applications are applied.

Then the plate is immersed in Dutch Mordant for 30 minutes to one hour after each

aquatint application, (time varies depending on freshness of Dutch Mordant)

b. For rich black on a zinc plate six separate aquatint applications are applied. Then

plate is immersed in 1:20 nitric acid for 15 to 20 minutes after each aquatint application.

(time varies depending on freshness of nitric acid)

c. For middle grey tones copper requires only one or two aquatint applications with 10

to 20 minute acid baths; while zinc needs one to three aquatint applications with three to

eight minute acid baths (the amount of time determines the darkness or lightness of the

tone; while the aquatint applications determine the coarseness or finess of the texture.)

14. Once the plate is etched to the correct depth all resists must be removed by using

lacquer thinner and paint and varnish remover, (all chemicals used throughout the photo

etching process should be handled with rubber, acid-resistant gloves)

15. Once all resists are removed, bevel edges of the plate so it won't cut the paper and

the blankets of the press.

Soft Ground

(This can be used for texture transfer)

1. Wash plate with ammonia, water and whiting (talcom powder) until water washes off

in sheets, with no grease left behind.

2. Use compressed air to dry.

3. Heat hot plate to 150-200F. Put zinc or copper plate on hot plate.

4. When plate is hot, melt stick of soft ground (asphaltum, beeswax and grease), by

wiping on the plate.

5. With a roller spread the soft ground over the surface of the plate, using the weight of

the roller only. Make sure there are no holes in the surface of the ground, since the

ground prevents acid from etching the plate randomly.

6. Remove plate from hot plate and place on press.

7. Place textures on plate. In this case real feathers.

8. Cover with wax paper.

9. Roll through the press.

10. Remove wax paper and feathers.

11. Place the plate in an acid bath, (zinc - 1:10 dilution of nitric acid to water for five

minutes, copper- Dutch Mordent for 15 minutes).

12

12. Remove from acid. Remove ground with a solvent.

13. Repeat above procedure as many times as is necessary.

14. Bevel edges of plate.

Line Etching

1. Wash plate with ammonia, whiting and water.

2. Dry with compressed air.

3. Cover plate with Universal hard ground (pour on or apply with a brush)

4. Dry thoroughly (overnight).

5. With a pointed object draw into the resist, exposing areas of the metal plate.

6. Place the plate in acid. For a zinc plate use nitric acid 1:6 30 seconds to two minutes

for a light line, five minutes to 10 minutes for a medium line, 20 minutes to 60 minutes

for a dark line. For a copper plate use the Dutch Mordant, increasing the times for zinc

by three.

7. Remove the ground with a solvent.

8. Bevel the edges of the plate.

Sugar Lift Process

1. Clean plate and dry as in line etching or soft ground.

2. Prepare sugar lift ground (1 1/4 oz. of Karo Corn Syrup, 1 oz. India Ink, 1/4 oz. of

Ivory Flakes, a pinch of gum Arabic. Stir until blended). With a brush or pen, draw on the

plate as one would on paper. Do not touch the plate with the hand or grease will be left

behind.

3. Let the drawing dry thoroughly overnight.

4. Pour a thin coat of asphaltum hard ground (Universal etching ground) over entire

surface of the plate including the sugar lift ground areas. Let plate dry completely by

standing plate on its edge, on a newspaper. (The sugar lift image should be seen through

the asphaltum).

5. Place the plate in a tray of very hot water and agitate gently. The sugar lift drawingwill begin to lift, exposing portions of the metal plate. (Change water as it cools.)

13

6. When the sugar lift has fully lifted, remove the plate from the water and use

compressed air to dry.

7. Cover unwanted exposed metal surfaces with hard ground.

8. A thin line made by the sugar lift will etch as a line. Wider spaces must be aquatinted

with spray paint (see photo etching) to create grey to black areas.

9. Etch plate in acid for the times used with line etchings. For black tones in aquatint

areas follow precedures in photo etching.

10. Remove resist with solvent.

11. Bevel plate edges.

Inking The Plate

Place paper to be printed on in water for 20 minutes to two hours.

A. Tarltan Wipe

1. Take ink from tube or can and place it on a smooth surface. Work ink with a putty

knife.

2. Use scraps of mat board as squeegees to apply ink.

3. Heat plate on heater at 100F. Move ink on plate with squeegee back and forth so the

plate will pick up ink on all surfaces, (important for plate tone.)

4. Form a pad with a tarltan (cheese cloth stiffened with corn starch). Wipe in one

direction all around.

5. Then dust with cloth in a figure"8"

motion. Watch edge build-up of ink when wiping.

Avoid streaking. The plate surface appearance should look smooth. Clean edges with a

soft rag. Don't daub.

B. Paper Wipe

With a newsprint pad or pages from a phone directory, rub surface of plate to remove

plate tone. Keep sheet of paper flat and rub with the palm of one's hand lightly.

C. Rolling On Ink (To apply color to a portion of the plate that would normally be clean

or colorless after a paper wipe)

1. Mix ink with 00 linseed oil until ink is thin enough to pour off putty knife.

2. Roll ink out with a hard roller until there is a sticky noise.

3. Roll over the high surface of the plate where the color is needed. (Do not use

pressure.)

14

Printing The Image

1. Take wet paper (Fabriano CMF) that has been soaking for 20 minutes to two hours and

place between blotters. With a rolling pin, roll out extra water.

2. Place copper or zinc plate on the bed of the press.

3. Hold paper by the corners and place over the plate. (Center via registration marks on

an acetate sheet under plate)

4. Put the three blankets (bottom sizing catcher, middle cushion blanket and top pusher

blanket) over the plate, paper and bed of press. Wind everything through completely

unless using more than one plate. In that case wind through but keep paper caught

between bed and blankets. Wrap the paper around the top roller of the press gently.

Remove plate, clean surface of acetate with solvent, dry carefully and place the new

plate in position. Bring paper over top of the new plate. Wind through. Release paper at

the end of this roll.

5. Pull print up by a corner in a slow, rocking motion.

6. Let the print dry flat between blotters.

7. Clean the plate when finished and repeat inking for an edition.

Embossing(This creates a bold, simple non-inked image)

1. Wash plate with water, ammonia and whiting.

2. Instead of covering the plate with resist (hard ground) to cut through as in a line

etching, draw with resist and brushes for white areas or high areas creating a relief in

the plate.

3. Once the image is painted on with the resist and dried, put copper in Dutch Mordant

for several days, continuously checking for foul biting in the resist. When foul bitingoccurs retouch hard ground and replace in acid. Zinc will take one to two days for a deepbite in nitric acid 1:20 dilution or 1:15 dilution, again, watch the resist for foul biting and

retouch.

4. Remove the resist with solvent.

5. Bevel plate edges.

6. Dampen paper.

7. Place plate on the press and follow above printing procedure.

15

Photo Silk Screening

This method is used for the recipes that are printed on the Kinwashi paper. (Photo silk

screening is a controlled way of stencilling. The screen neatens the process by allowing a

certain thickness of ink to be deposited on the paper)

Begin with the text set in universal type on paper; the text is transferred and blown up to

an18"

x24"

sheet of Kodalith film. One must use a copy camera for this method. The

final kodalith film used will be a positive image rather than a negative one.

A chromoline kit will be used for the chemicals in order to transfer the image from the

kodalith to the screen. The screen will be made of polyester or nylon. One does not use

silk in this situation because bleach is used to clean the chromoline and bleach damages

silk.

1. Cut chromoline 1/2 inch larger than the kodalith positive.

2. Make sure kodalith and chromoline are dust-free.

3. Sandwich the acetate (dull) side of the chromoline on a hard surface (masonite) with

shiny side of the chromoline against the screen.

(now work in dim light).

4. Mix the chromoline kit photosensitizer, water and direct fluid emulsion type A-l.

5. Pour mixture on screen and squeegee firmly over screen to create an even coat.

6. Dry in absolute darkness for one hour. Peel off acetate side of chromoline leaving the

gelatin on the screen.

7. Place Kodalith on the gelatin side of the screen so the image is reversed. Tape to

screen.

8. Place screen and kodalith on a vacuum table and expose to photo flood lights (500

watts)18"

from the screen for 3 1/2 minutes.

9. Wash screen in 104F water. This washes out unexposed gelatin. (Hold up to light to

check if the gelatin is washed out)

10. Rinse in cold water to harden all gelatin.

12. Let air dry.

13. With fish glue or water soluable block-out, cover all areas on the screen one does

not want to print.

14.. Place paper under the gelatin side of the screen.

15. Put a line of ink at an edge of the screen and move the squeege over the ink and

screen. This pushes the ink through the mesh onto the paper.

16. Lift the screen. The printed image will appear on the paper.

16

August 1979; Pre-Thesis Ideas

FOWL BEASTS THE CHICKEN AND THE EGG

A month of chicken

Un mois de poulet

The illustrated chicken and how to eat it

The chicken and the egg

Chicken spreads

Chicken, inside out

gallus domesticus

Feathers and eggs

Chicken Divan

Chicken Hunter Style

Barbeque Chicken

Chicken broiled with garlic

Chicken and artichokes

Chicken in lemon sauce

Chicken Cordon Bleu

Fried Chicken

Coq au Vin

Chicken soup stock

Onion soup au gratin

Chicken Kiev

Chicken and pecans

Chicken and vegetables

Crepes

Quiche Lorraine

Chicken livers and onion

chopped chicken liver with mushrooms

omlette, variations of

late night snack

dinner

breakfast

brunch

desserts

thirty illustrations

ten recipes

twenty recipes

fifteen illustrations

Spinach souffle

Coddled eggs

Stuff roasted chicken

Chicken Salad

Sponge cakes

Flan

et cetera

et cetera

herbs

wine lists

cooking utensils

17

preparation

chicken slang

historical facts

bird types

16 x 16 inches

20 x 20 inches

18 x 18 inches

large cookbook

etchings of finished recipes

abstract images

close-ups

drawings

embossings

cyan

yellow

bistre

brown

black

le Franc ink

Charbonell ink

Paillard ink

Fabriano C M F Paper

$49.00

$60.04

$110.68

high costs

publisher hunt

10,000 hard cover

100 special edition

$3-4,000 advance

begin series

chicken

veal

pork

fish

vegetables

beef

a show

invitations

food samples

September 1979: Work and re-work thesis proposal. Judd William gives me a lead on

portfolio sources in Rochester. I also discover a ready made portfolio that is perfect at

New York Central Art Supply in Manhattan. To have a portfolio made one must consider

style. Different companies specialize in different types:

Flower City Specialty Company.

Frank Witzl

158 Hollenbeck St.

Rochester, NY 14621

(Box type portfolios)

18

William F. Zahrndt and Son

1500 Clinton Ave. North

Rochester, NY

(see Jack Rains)

(Folder types)

De Ridder / Thurson Inc.

100 Fernwood Ave.

Rochester, NY

(Inside paper and folding of portfolios)

Fidelity Onion Skin 100% cotton

(paper source)

October 23

Thesis Approved

On to locating chicken farms. Initially I was met with great skepticism when

approaching farm owners. Upon mentioning my past affiliation with the Associated

Press, farmers became most happy to become involved with the project. Child's Eggs is

my first chicken farm. The odor in the sorting room and store is atrocious.

October 25, 1979

Child's Eggs

Owner: Marvin Child

Basom New York (30 miles from Buffalo)

I got up at 6:AM along with some brave birds. At this hour I drove off to the country. I

hope this man takes me seriously enough to know this is only the first of many visits. I

should have a good rapport with chickens after all this.

I arrived at sunrise, 7:25AM. All is quiet. There is a light on in the house and store. It is

difficult to figure out where one is supposed to meet. Success, I met him in the

driveway. He has a breed of chicken known as White Leggers for egg laying. There are

middle aged, talkative women working with the eggs. They wash, candle and size them.

Candling an egg shows up blood spots and cracks. These eggs are thrown out.

The odor in the egg sorting room has become a mere background smell. The next move is

into the chicken coop. Marvin Child has 14,000 birds. The impact of this quantity on me

was an allergic reaction. I shall have to shoot this crew at quick intervals. This is the

first time I have ever heard chickens clucking in person. I had to smile. What a

wonderful sound. The cats, feathers and dung have made my eyes water, my nose run and

sneezing is continuous. The birds live under red lights to inhibit their cannibalistic

instinct that comes from living in close quarters. (About one half dozen birds in a small

cage). I have to use strobes for lighting. The first flash really spooked the beasts. The

sound moved from general clucking to hysterical squaks. After the sixth shot, however,

the birds calmed, some even posed. I am using Tri-X film with my Hasselblad.

The following week I process the film acceptable work.

19

I also took various sized egg cartons and eggs from Childs. I will work on some still lifes

as well in this project.

November 26, Monday

I called Perdue Broiler and Breeder Farm Processing and Dressing plant in Salisbury,Maryland (301) 742-7161. I deal with Tom Shelton and his secretary Bette Davis. I plan

to drive to Baltimore, then travel three hours more to Salisbury. I will bring my

Hasselblad and lighting on Wednesday, November 28.

November 26 and 27, 1979

I visited the Walters Art Gallery in Baltimore where they have a fine collection of

Egyptian and Greek artifacts. Now, more attuned to chicken memorbilia, I note the bird

to hold prominent positions with Greek gods in pottery designs. The bird has been used as

a decorative and symbolic motif from at least the year 1000 BC to our present 1979 AD.

I brought two books along to Baltimore that dealt with historical information on the

gallus domesticus. I must say this bird has an extrordinary background. He is really

taken for granted in our society.

Ideas for things to shoot at Perdue:

1. Broilers ready for market

2. Coops of chickens at processing plants

3. Chickens to be slaughtered

4. Featherless carcasses hanging5. Carcass sorter

6. Packaging chicken

7. Feathers

8. Chicken blood for slide image

Nutrition: photo etching of a blood sample photographed under a microscope combined

with soft ground bird feed.

November 28, 1979

After a three hour drive from Baltimore, I arrived in Salisbury, Maryland, home of

Perdue Chickens. The first indication that I was close to their plant was a giant billboard

indicating Perdue produced 350,000 roasters per year. As I drove farther along, I took a

right across from McDonalds and saw a low factory-type building. Hmmm, it must be

lunch hour. There are Blacks leaning against the building. They were wearing white

coats and red or blue hard hats, listening to very, very loud soul music. I parked my car

and met Scott Varner, Plant Manager, who showed me around while I photographed.

Facts:

150,000 to 160,000 birds are processed in this plant per day during 8 to 10 hours of

work. There are six Perdue plants in Delaware, Maryland, North Carolina and Virginia.

From this plant a Perdue representative drove me to various farms where birds were

grown. They have 700 farms involved. Most were very well kept. The birds had large

areas to move around in and a continuous supply of food. Tungsten and natural lighting

were used. More facts:

20

A bird lives for two months, then is slaughtered as a cooking bird. The life span of a

roaster is three months; the life span of a laying hen which is used for soup is fiftyweeks. Judging from the humane way of killing to the impeccable growing and feedingfarms, I would make an effort to buy Perdue chickens exclusively. After this

enlightening day I drove back to Baltimore. Further along I processed my film back at

Rochester Good Stuff.

December 8, 1979

Ideas for photographs at David Dickinson's house

1. Sugar lift

2. Photograph whole chickens outside

3. Close-up head shots of chickens

4. Get feathers

December 9, 1979

To David Dickinson's farm. It took approximately one hour to get to his house in the

Southern Tier of New York. He has pet chickens that die of old age, which is

approximately five or six years old. His pets furnish his family and friends with eggs.

Some of his birds are pedigreed. He has different types of birds ranging in color from

black to brown to white. The rooster has green tail feathers. Most of the strains he has

come from South America. The eggs they lay are blue, green and white. I had a good

photo and drawing session with them in25

F- weather. We worked outside for two

hours until my fingers went numb. Very nice time. Very clean birds, even in the coop. I

had no allergic reaction.

December 15, 1979

I sent a thank you note to Tom Shelton and his staff at Perdue. I processed film from

Dickinson's farm the best yet.

January, 1980

Kodaliths are completed. 18 x 24 inch images are difficult to deal with. There never

seems to be enough space to work in.

January /February

Heavy course work. Random days of cutting and preparing copper and zinc plates. Begin

etching. (My first drawings failed. The rhythm in the finished piece was bad) (Start

over, everything goes wrong. I repeated processes many times finally success. Good

image ~ Chicken calligraphy or scratching. This will be part of the title page)

I am taking a photo-microscopy course so I will be able to photograph chicken blood

through the microscope. Kohler illumination, hard work, time consuming, eye strain.

This should be a good art piece "ChickenAbstraction"

The final title did turn out to be

"Nutrition".

21

March 19, 1980

Seven etchings completed. Proofs and color decisions.

1. MonolithEgg Box Black

Roll yolk, combine primary yellow with orange and OO oil and roll

with hard roller.

2. Hi-Rise- Blue sky, Black cages. Use Cyan. Must add white for real skyblue 1:1. Wipe Black first. Blue, use small tarlton.

3. Hanging Chickens-

Bistre with burnt Sienna (too bloody looking) then change to

charbonnel Bistre which is a coppery color.

5. One Egg Chocolate Cake

Charbonnel Bistre.

6. Chicken CaligraphyCharbonnel Black

7. Chicken Hunter Style-

Three color sections to wipe. First top and bottom will be black,second center Paillard Bistre, third under eye and throat

vermillion, also using Paillard ink.

8. Nutrition-

Still in the works, but use Venetian Red for Blood and Black for

chicken feed. The Venetian Red will be Le Franc ink and the

black will be Charbonnel. Print Blood plate first and feed second.

9. Soft Ground Feathers

(Also in the works)

Paillard Bistre very dark.

March 21, 1980

My portfolio sample came from Central Art Supply. It is just perfect. I will order six

more. I also found some excellent insert paper rice but neutral in acidity. Instead of

printing the recipes on CMF Fabriano I will place them on rice paper. It will keep the

portfolio thinner and lighter.

To make things less expensive I think I'll hand write recipes and introduction on acetate

and see if I can get them Xeroxed onto the rice paper. I hope the school will be able to

handle the size. Cannot be xeroxed, too large for the school to deal with.

I made six proofs of six different images. So far I'm very satisfied with the results. Next

week I'll show my committee individually. I hope they feel strongly about the images so I

can move on.

I've been working on the plates for these images all winter term. It was rewarding to see

the proofs on paper after all this time (15 weeks).

22

April 1980

Suggestions by Judd Williams:

Instead of printing on portfolio use frontispiece.

Possible corrections to make:

Weak black in "Monolith", try dark grey or better wipe. Went for a better wipe.

"Chicken Scratching"Used Paillard Black for proofs. Too weak. Try Charbonnel 327 a

Blue Black or add Red Cadmium

"Chicken Line-Up"

(Hanging Chickens) too red with Vermillion and Bistre (Use

Charbonnel Bistre).

Try Daniel Smith etching inks good blacks.

Thesis Committee enjoyed the work. A few criticisims, which I will be correcting for the

final edition.

Example: more tone in lower white"V"

for "One Egg Chocolate Cake", and recipe

suggestions

April Cont'd.

I ordered more portfolios from Central Art Supply. Price increased from $16.00 to

$20.00.

Shock: Kinwashi paper ordered, high sulphite content. The store originally told me it

was neutral, now they say it is no good. Expecting Oriental swatch book to choose

different paper.

May 1

Printing of Edition begins.

Things going as planned. I am working Monday evenings and all day Tuesday and

Wednesday. Then a change at the end of the term due to heavy press use for the

graduateprintmakers'

portfolio. I sneak in Monday evening and work all night, until

10:00AM Tuesday. I have a waffle breakfast break at the Union at 7:30 AM. Still

another schedule change, at the end it is Tuesday, Wednesday; then Wednesday, Thursday.

Problems with printing recipes commercially. Too expensive and they won't touch rice

paper. Cost estimates from $600.00 to $1,000.00 not including paper

Eureka! I found a U.B. student willing to help for $300.00.

I'm trying to finish this by the end of May, maybe, end of June. The gallery schedule for

my show in September gives me enough time for a catastrophe.

I wish I had my own press so I could pull several prints daily - more efficient, less

stress. My shoulder is really paining me.

23

First disaster on Bird Blood "Nutrition"print. Nothing went right from registration to

oxidizing colors.

The following day, smooth sailing on my"Nutrition"

blood print. I think high humidityhad something to do with the problems of the previous day or maybe it is just Tuesday.

My egg embossing is the final image to be worked out. Something is missing. Two weeks

now and I can't find peace with it. Five different approaches, still zero soon.

May

Selling Ideas.

Try to sell portfolio to R.I.T. Maybe Carey collection. See Johnson. Also try N.Y.

Public Library.

May 29:

I take all 129 sheets of Kinwashi paper to New York in order to return the paper and find

something new. Paper person pulls out the definitive paper book and discovers the

sulphite to be neutralized and suitable for archival purposes. I order 30 more sheets for

posters. Sore arms happy ending- the paper is really perfect for my etchings.

I spoke with Art Gallery person in Rizzoli's. I will bring my finished art portfolio to her

in July - August hopefully.

I will also see the art gallery in Baltimore and Rochester Publishers will come shortly

thereafter.

Text finally edited.

June 2

Titles and first count

1. "75 MislaidEggs"

2"Monolith"

3."Nutrition"

4. "Chicken HunterStyle"

5. "ChichenHi-Rise"

6. "ChickenDivan"

7."Feathers"

8. Hanging Chickens (untitled)

9. "One Egg ChocolateCake"

16

11

11

10

11

16

11

10

11

24

10. "Chicken Scratchings" 14

Ah, 28 prints to go!

June 9, 1980

A letter to Dr. Richard Zakia

Dear Dr. Zakia,

It now appears necessary to have my thesis show exclusively in Buffalo, N.Y., due to the

fact my images are too large to get framed and hung at R.I.T. at a reasonable cost to

me. You see my project already cost me over $1100.00. The gallery in Buffalo will

supply the frames. (If they did not I would have to spend an additional $600.00) Also, I

intend to have taste samples of the recipes included in my portfolio. I will prepare the

food in my kitchen, which is close to the gallery. The gallery will provide chaffing dishes

to keep some of the items hot. It would be impossible to transport these dishes to R.I.T.

and keep them properly. The gallery has offered me a showing date of September 19,1980 to September 30, 1980. As you can see, it would be appreciated to have this one

show at Benjaman's Gallerie in Buffalo, with my thesis sharing to be held one hour before

the opening. I have spoken with a few people at R.I.T. who feel that there would be no

trouble getting to Buffalo, and I have been commuting from there for over two years

with no difficulty.

Thank you in advance.

Sincerely

Pamela R. Schuyler-Cowens

June

Recipes typed and finished. Still waiting for Kathie Simonds to give me a progress

report. I want to finish this project so I can start showing publishers my work. I also

want to show out of town art galleries.

Only 28 prints left in the edition to complete an editon of 15. This does not include the

three artist's proofs I plan to pull later.

June 19:

Kathie will come tonight with Kodaliths for the final approval. Make sure "Special

Thanks"page has texts underlined.

August

Get in touch with Child's and Perdue to see if they would like to donate materials for

food tasting at the show.

25

July 31, 1980

Kathie completed printing the silk screened recipes. Looks terrific except introduction.

Introduction only good.

August 1, 1980

Meeting with Ada Calabrese of Rizzoli Gallery, New York City to look at the chickens.

Very receptive. She is taking four pieces for an Easter display. She also liked some older

work and will be taking that as well.

August 4, 1980

Baltimore, Maryland. "The Arts Gallery" meeting a success. Also receptive. Taking a

complete portfolio of "FowlBeasts"

for display in an art exhibition entitled "FunctionalArt"

August 11, 1980

Barry at Benjaman's Galerie, Buffalo, NY. Taking the first portfolio and another

complete edition for the show September 19. My poster is approved, as well as the

invitation idea.

September 9

I get a phone call that the posters have not been distributed yet. I must distribute the

posters for the gallery myself. I work along as planned. Later on in the afternoon I get

called by Benjaman's Galerie indicating that I will be having a news conference with the

Buffalo Evening News, the local newspaper on Thursday at 10:00AM at my house.

September 9

I make preparations for another meeting with an art gallery in Rochester in Sibley's. I

will be speaking with Roz Goldman at 1:PM. I will also be going over to Light

Impressions to get some items framed for Rizzoli Gallery.

I have also spoken with Light Impressions for getting my book published. They are not

interested. They only do text books.

Wednesday, September 10

Distribute invitations at R.I.T., go to Light Impressions, then meet Roz Goldman at the

gallery in Sibley's.

Thursday, September 11

My interview in the morning will take place with Barbara Schneider of the Buffalo

Evening News at 9:00AM. Prepare Blueberry muffins and some coffee to show her my

stuff. My show date has changed to the 21st where I will have my party from 7:00PM

until 10:30PM.

26

Thursday the 18th and Friday the 19th of September

Complete all cooking for the show. I have ordered 60 chicken breasts. The Sunshine

Super Market has saved me all the chicken bones from the last two weeks for a soupstock. I will be ready to go for the show on the 21st. Our families will be coming in on

Saturday to see the show. Looking forward to the Big Event. Still need someone to

photograph during the show.

I plan to shoot this in polaroid.

September 21, 1980

Nervous. I cook two more cakes. My father becomes chief polaroid photographer. 200

people arrive. Most come around 8:00 PM. Lots of excitement. Wayne (my husband) andI do a great deal of talking. People buy my work. I watch a half-dozen sold signs go up.

Ecstacy. More explanations. I like being the center of attention.

September 22, 1980

Exhaustion, lots of pots and pans, contentment. It feels as if I am on my way to a good

art career. The show was fun. It is quite nice receiving compliments from strangers and

aquaintances. It is great getting support from dear friends and family. The show sales

from the first night will just about cover my expenses. I hope more pieces will sell

during the next two weeks and in shows to come.

My next step is to contact a public relations man my mother knows in New York City.

He knows Frank Perdue personally and is making arrangements for me to sell him a

portfolio along with publicity for the Baltimore show. The next show in Baltimore will be

December 4th, 1980.

Sibley's Gallery in Rochester plans to buy a portfolio in October. They are working on

publishers for me..., so is "TheArts"

Gallery in Baltimore and the P.R. man in N.Y.C.

Darn, I haven't had any luck with publishers yet.

I just etched a Christmas card, small gesture on my part to get back into creating. I've

primed two other large plates. I have several ideas for single pieces. I MUST KEEP

ACTIVE ARTISTICALLY. I MUST KEEP showing my work in all cities I visit next

stop, Washington, D.C.

27

COST SHEET

CMF Etching $221.35

Kinwashi 100.00

Inks 50.00

Portfolios 112.00

Acetate 10.00

Tarltons ($.80) 9.60

Newsprint Pads 6.00

Rubber Gloves 11.00

Hard Ground 2.00

India Ink 6.00

Zinc Plates (4) 85.00

Copper Plates (3) 112.50

Silkscreening 300.00

Kodalith 128.00

Chemicals for Kodalith Film 5.00

Tri-X Film 10.00

TOTAL $1168.45

Other Items:

Rubber Stamp $15.00

Blank Match Books 11.25

Postage 25.00

Champagne (3 cases) 175.00

30 lbs. blueberries 15.00

1/2 bushel peaches 15.00

60 chicken breasts 97.00

10 pkgs. broccoli 6.90

6 - 16oz. sour cream 6.24

6 - 8oz. yogurt 3.60

1 box cocoa 1.80

Unlimited Mileage

etc.

etc.

etc.

28

CONCLUSION

I think it was very important to have had a final thesis showing of my work outside

R.I.T. At this showing in Buffalo, N.Y- all sorts of people had an opportunity to view mywork. The show gave me input from people I didn't have the opportunity to deal with as a

student in a sheltered educational environment. Reactions from appreciation of my art

as art, to enjoyment of the cooked recipes, to esoteric comments on scientific

experiments using the chicken embryo, to appreciation of technique, helped me see how a

general audience reacts to my art work. These are the people who will see my work and

support me as patrons when I become a professional artist after R.I.T.

Working as large as I did on the limited subject matter I chose helped me concentrate on

perfecting my technique and stretching my imagination to make related yet innovative

images. Choosing intaglio processes instead of straight photography decreased my

working speed, making me seriously deal with a relatively small number of images for a

long period of time. With my background as a photo journalist, slowing down made me

realize one can get involved in less quantity and be very productive. This experience

made me realize art is successful when it develops at a continuous pace.

In creating this portfolio I think one of the most frustrating experiences was the printed

word. No matter how many proof readers I had (there were four), misspellings still

appear in the finished product. To re-do the text would have been prohibitively

expensive; discoveries were made as late as the opening day of my thesis show. The

errors were disheartening and hopefully will not be the major focus of my portfolio.

Now, upon completion of my M.F.A. degree I am abandoning my prior career of photo

journalism. I intend to haunt galleries until they take my work. I hope to produce work

as an artist so I can share my ideas with others and continue to grow technically and

creatively.

PRSC

29

Apicius, Joseph Dommers Vehling, Walter M. Hill, Chicago, 1936.

The Backyard Poultry Book, Andrew Singer, Arco Publishing Co, New York, 1976.

Bakery Lane Soup Bowl, Marge Mitchell and John Sedgwick, Random House, NY, 1976.

"Boston Evening Globe", August 17, 1972 page 53.

The Chicken Book, Page Smith, Little, Brown and Co., Boston, 1975.

Chickens, Chickens, Chickens, Peter R. Limburg, T. Nelson, Nashville, Tenn., 1975.

The Complete Chicken, Carl Jerome, Random House, New York, 1978.

The Epicurean, Charles Ranhofer,Dover, New York, 1893.

"Evolution", Ruth Moore, Time-Life, New York, 1968.

La Force du Quotidien, "Walls", Vilem Flusser, Mame, Paris, 1974.

Grand Diplome Cooking Course, B.P.C. Publishing, 1971.

The Illustrated Book of Poultry, Lewis Wright, Cassell, Pettar and Galpin, New York, 1873.

Intaglio Printmaking Techniques, Ruth Leaf, Watson-Guptill Publications, New York, 1976.

Narrative Art, Art News Annual XXXVI, edited by Thomas B. Hess and John Ashberg,Macmillan Co., New York, 1970.

Old Cook Books: An Illustrated History, Eric Quayle, Dutton, New York, 1978.

Wonderful Ways to Prepare Chicken, Jo Ann Shirley, Playmore Inc., 1979.

Walters Gallery, Baltimore Md., Egyptian and Greek artifacts.

Child's Eggs, Basom, New York.

David Dickinson's Farm, New York.

Perdue Farms, Salisbury, Maryland.

30

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